Walking On a Wire
by IceWarrior13
Summary: She's (probably) in the worst situation that she could have possibly found herself in. A young White Fang medic/healer-in-training was captured during a rally in front of Schnee Manor, and now she's being forced to work for her greatest enemy. Will she pull through, escape, and reunite with her sister? Or will she be forced to accept her new life and the "new" White Fang?
1. Prologue

A young girl with black hair and bright golden eyes dressed in black, grey, and light-purple stood in a large crowd, shouting as she hoisted a picket-sign on her shoulder, two black cat-ears perched on top of her head.

"Hey!" She looked over her shoulder, looking annoyed. "Belle! You need to shout louder!"

An identical ten year-old girl in black, grey, and light-blue with her hair in a ponytail flinched as she hoisted her sign, her cat-ears flattening.

"S-sorry!"

"We need to show the Schnees that we're not afraid, and that we won't stand for their treatment of Faunus employees in their mines! ... If we don't, you know Adam will get mad at you, again."

"Aw, Blake..!"

"You know I'm just looking out for you, _little sister._ " Blake laughed and ruffled Belle's hair, making her pout. Belle had enough of her sister's teasing.

"I'm only younger by twenty-three seconds!"

"That still makes you my baby sister." The older twin smirked, ruffling Belle's hair again. "You always have been, and you always will be."

Belle rolled her eyes and continued chanting with her sister. A boy with red/brown hair, red eyes, and bull-horns came to check on them a few times as the rally continued.

That's when the Schnee Manor's guards came out and started firing bean-bags and throwing tear-gas canisters to try and suppress/dispel the crowd.

The bull-Faunus ran through the crowd toward the twin cat-Faunus, eyes wide as he made it and grabbed their wrists, ready to get the younger girls away from the chaos and danger.

"Come on!"

Suddenly, Belle yelped in surprise and fear as she was pulled up and away, a glaring human guard holding her in the air by the back of her shirt.

"Blake! Adam!" Belle screamed, trying with all she had to escape her captor. She wasn't strong enough.

Adam didn't know what to do. He had one sister safe and in his custody, and the other had been captured. That human could easily call his fellow guards and take all three children prisoner, or whip out his gun and shoot all three if so inclined. The bull-Faunus saw that he had no other choice...

"We'll come back for you." He promised, then turned and darted through the panicked crowd, taking a crying and screaming Blake with him. Belle watched, eyes filled with tears.

"Don't leave me, please! Adam! Blake!" It was no good. "Please..."

That's when the butt of a gun slammed into her head, and Belle was thrown into darkness.

 ** _/\_**

When Belle woke up, she was being thrown on the floor in front of a large, white desk in a brightly-lit room. She winced as she pushed herself up onto her hands and knees, raising a hand to the side of her head before looking up with wide eyes.

A man in a white suit came walking around the desk, his white hair combed to perfection and his icy-blue eyes glaring down at the little cat-Faunus. Belle was terrified.

"You're... You're..."

"You will refer to me as _Mr. Schnee_ or _sir_ , you little beast, if I allow you to refer to me at all." The man glared, then crouched and grabbed something from the girl's neck and stood, forcing her to stand to avoid getting choked by the object. A silver chain with a charm, a green leaf. "What is this?"

"I-it's a message, in case I was ever captured by the p-police." The girl answered fearfully. "I'm just a medic! I go to rallies to make sure someone's there to help the injured!" This made Mr. Schnee raise an eyebrow.

"A _child_ for a medic?"

"I-I'm a _medic-in-training_ , a healer. T-the master-healer's a-apprentice." Belle was getting more and more scared by the second. Mr. Schnee released the necklace, and the girl took a few deep breaths.

"So, you're actually important to those mongrels in the White Fang?" The man asked. Belle remained silent for a moment, then...

"In the W-White Fang, we're all equally important." She stated defiantly. "They'll c-come for me, and anyone e-else you've taken."

"You are the only animal in my custody, beast... And will they?" Mr. Schnee asked, holding out a scroll. It depicted a news-anchor, and... "They've moved, they're running all the way to Vale. In fear, they've abandoned you."

"T-they wouldn't!" Belle tried not to believe it. But she saw the evidence, the campsite in the snow that she knew all too well was abandoned.

"They have." Mr. Schnee assured, then walked to the side of his desk. "So, we have a problem: you. Shall we turn you over to the authorities for questioning, question you ourselves, throw you out onto the street like the garbage you are, put an end to your miserable little existence, or actually try to make you useful?"

"U- _useful_?"

"My youngest daughter is training to become a Huntress like her elder sister, and as you may know, such training can prove difficult and dangerous for one so young. And there are everyday accidents around the manor. So, I'm offering you one chance to prove that you're actually worth something."

Mr. Schnee turned to Belle, and the girl winced as one of the guards standing behind her fastened something around her neck. A collar, silver on the outsides with the middle glowing blue, and the girl cried out in pain as she was zapped, falling to her hands and knees.

"W-what..?!"

"You will serve as a servant, a medic." Mr. Schnee proclaimed. "And you will know your place... Now, tell me your name, beast." Belle looked up, her glaring, teary golden eyes slowly falling into hopeless fear.

"Belle Belladonna."

 ** _/\/\/\/\_**

"How could we leave her?!" Blake sobbed, hugging Adam as they made camp for the night. The twelve year-old boy looked down at her with pity.

"I thought they'd go back for her, Blake, but they said there was no way to break into Schnee Manor. I made a promise to Belle, and I let her down... It's probably too late."

"W-what do you mean?!"

"... I'm sorry." Adam whispered, gritting his teeth in an effort to stay strong. "I'm so, so sorry."

Blake started sobbing again, burying her face into Adam's chest. After a few minutes, when she was exhausted from crying, Blake looked up. Her teary golden eyes were narrowed.

"No... They'll be sorry."

 ** _Well... This story was requested, and it's already off to a rough start. Let's see how "well" this is going to go. I only own my OC. Please read, review, check out my other stories, etc. Thanks!_**


	2. The Medic (Weiss)

One day, while I was practicing with my training-rapier, I fumbled and somehow managed to cut my hand. Thankful that I had been alone, I decided to go and see the new medic.

I was wearing a white dress that went to my knees with a icy-blue sash at the waist, my hair in a side-ponytail and white shoes on my feet.

I wandered around, finally coming across a door on the ground-level of the mostly blue and white mansion with a silver plaque that said medic.

I opened the door with my uninjured hand, and I looked around the well-lit room. I was surprised to not see anyone, but I heard soft whimpering.

I slowly entered the room, looking around with narrowed eyes for the source of the noise, confused and honestly annoyed by the predicament.

"Hello?" I asked, frowning. "I'm here to see the medic." The whimpering got quieter, now mixed with noises that sounded like they came from a frightened, hiding animal. "I know you're there! Come out this instant!" I slowly wandered around the one hospital-bed, and I saw a slightly-ajar cupboard door. I approached and knelt, opening the door with my uninjured had.

Something with wide, teary golden eyes recoiled in the darkness, giving off an air of pure fear.

"Please, don't hurt me!" A voice pleaded. It sounded like a little girl, no older than myself. "I just wanna go home!" I frowned slightly, eyebrow raised.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. The figure looked down and wiped their teary eyes on something (a sleeve?), then looked up at me.

"H-he said that I have to be the medic here, now." The figure replied timidly, growing even more fearful as her brilliant golden eyes examined me. "I wanna go home."

This was strange. Why would she be so desperate to go home? Why was she the new medic a child? Why was she acting like she was being held prisoner in some terrible place?

"I'm..." I slowly extended my uninjured hand. "I'm Weiss Schnne." The figure gazed at me warily, then slowly extended a slightly-larger hand into the light to shake my own.

"B-Belle." She replied quietly, still sounding scared. I raised my injured hand, revealing the cut.

"Can you help me?" I asked, trying to sound less direct and more kind. I couldn't trust her to do anything while she was that scared, could I?

"Y-yes." The girl finally admitted. I stepped back as she crawled out of the cupboard and stood.

The girl was around my height, with slightly-darker skin. Her hair was long, black, and wavy, and it was in a ponytail with a white bow on top of her head. She wore white sneakers, white pants with red stripes on the sides, a white t-shirt, and a white jacket with red stripes around the zipper and up the sleeves, leading to circular patches with red crosses. Her golden eyes were still filled with fear, but she gestured for me to sit on the hospital-bed.

I obeyed, and the girl opened a drawer and retrieved several objects before walking over. She set them on the hospital wound next to me and started cleaning the wound, then she placed a white pad on the cut and wrapped it in white gauze and medical-tape.

"Thank you."

"T-take the bandage off at night to let the wound breathe, and if it hasn't scabbed-up by morning, I-I'll bandage it for you, again."

I noticed a strange, silver and glowing-blue collar around Belle's neck. What was that thing?

"Alright." I hopped off the hospital-bed, still wondering about my new servant. "I may or may not see you tomorrow, then." Belle nodded.

"O-okay." Then, she paled and bowed her head. "I-it has been an h-honor assisting you, Miss S-Schnee." I nodded, giving her permission to raise her head, then turned and departed.

 ** _/\_**

Later that day, I was called into my father's study. He looked at me from across his desk, eyebrow raised.

"I understand that you've been to see our medic, Weiss." He began. I nodded, standing with perfect posture and my hands folded. "Why?" I reluctantly held my hand out. Father examined it carefully. "So, she took care of you without much of a problem?"

"There was no problem, Father." I decided not to mention the whole cupboard incident to him. Belle was such a new and young servant, after all. "She just seemed a little nervous."

"Good. She knows her place."

"... Father, If I may, what was that device around her neck?" I asked. My father scowled, like the thought of the girl disgusted him.

"It is to assure that she continues to know her place. She is nothing more than a little beast that I took pity upon due to her skills. If I hadn't, she would be long dead and gone."

"... Yes, Father."

 ** _/\/\/\/\_**

The next day, I decided to go and have Belle check the wound. I went and opened the door once again, finding the girl hugging her knees in a corner and resting her head on them.

"Excuse me?" I asked. Belle looked up with teary eyes. "You told me to come back if the wound needed redressing." Belle nodded and stood, going back to the same drawer as before as I sat on the hospital-bed. She did what she had the day before, cleaning and dressing the wound, then backed away and bowed her head.

"It has b-been an honor assisting you, Miss S-Schnee." She stated. I raised an eyebrow and walked over to her, looking at the strange collar. I had a sickening feeling that Belle didn't want to be there, that she would have never wanted to be there. I didn't like this... "Is everything a-alright, Miss Schnee?"

"... Where are your quarters?"

"W-why?"

"I just want to know. Do you reside with the other servants?"

"N-no. I have a place in the cellar, Miss Schnee."

"The cellar?" I had never been there, but whenever the kindly old cook would get me a snack and have to fetch something from the cellar to make a meal, I would feel a harsh chill when she opened the door. How could Father force someone to live there? Belle nodded timidly. "Hmm... Thank you for your help, Belle."

"Yes, Miss Schnee." Belle kept her head bowed. I turned and left the room, still wondering.

 ** _/\/\/\/\_**

A few weeks passed, and I discretely took notes on Belle's treatment around the Schnee Manor from afar.

In the early morning, she'd be brought out of the cellar and allowed to wash up and change, then she'd be taken straight to the infirmary. She'd be let out four times a day to use the bathroom, and her small meals would be slid under the door on a tray. Belle was a prisoner.

The other servants seemed to either pity or ignore her, and Father seemed to keep a skeptical eye on her.

Belle was silent, unless she was helping someone or questioned by another servant (or her escort).

This continued for weeks, then one day, something happened that would change everything...

 ** _/\_**

I was up in the second-floor parlor, practicing playing the piano. I was working on writing my own song and music, and I was thinking about calling the piece _Mirror, Mirror_.

That's when several loud crashes came from below, and I left the parlor and ran down the stairs to see several men in full-faced red masks and black clothing breaking into the house and defeating all of the guards and servants with tranquilizer-guns. They noticed me, and I quickly ran up the stairs and into my bedroom as they gave chase, locking the door behind me and putting my chair under the knob.

I went and hid in my closet as the door was pounded on, trying to slow my breathing and my heart. I hugged my knees to my chest, terrified as I heard the door splintering.

"Please, don't find me." I whispered, then gasped as I heard the door break off its hinges and fall to the floor. I held a hand over my mouth, keeping perfectly silent as I heard footsteps.

"Where is the little brat?" One man asked, growling. "You don't think she went out the window, right?"

"No." Another one replied. "She's here, somewhere." I heard the footsteps get closer and bit my hand to keep from screaming, praying...

The closet door opened, and I yelped as I was grabbed by the ponytail and pulled into the air by my ponytail, my captor laughing cruelly as he held me out for the others to see.

"Got her!" He announced. "The boss'll be happy about this. Imagine what _Old Schnee_ 'll pay to get his precious little girl back!"

 ** _/\_**

I was carried downstairs, and my captors (there were seven) headed for the front-door, stepping over the unconscious forms of those they had knocked out. I was terrified, more than I had ever been in my life, and...

"HEY!" A voice snapped. My captors turned, me with them, to see Belle leaving her room and glaring at the men. Her collar glowed brighter, and Belle winced, but she pushed through it and faced my captors, the collar turning off when it was out of range of whatever had set it off. "LET HER GO!"

"Oh, look." A man mocked. "A little brat trying to play hero." Belle suddenly whipped out a scalpel and thew it, and it struck my captor's hand. He shouted in pain and released me, and I ran over and hid behind Belle.

The men raised their tranquilizer guns, and Belle and I backed away. I looked at the medic, eyes narrowed.

"What's the plan?!"

"I honestly didn't think I'd get this far. I think the rest mostly consists of _not dying_." Belle replied, then threw another scalpel and hit the lead-man's knee, quickly grabbing my hand as he yelled in pain. "Run!"

We started running as they fired at us, but Belle seemed to sense them coming and helped me dodge.

 ** _/\_**

We made it to the armory and barricaded ourselves inside, looking around at all of the weapons.

"This'll have to do." I picked up a rapier, noticing that it was well-balanced and held Dust-cartridges in the hilt. I'd only ever used a training-rapier, so this was a big step up. I looked at Belle expectantly. "Can you fight with more than just medical tools?"

"Well... I always pretended that I didn't back home so people would let me focus on my healer-training or reading." Belle admitted timidly, then picked up a dark-blue/black crossbow and a sheath of Dust-bolts, smirking deviously as she loaded and Ice-Dust bolt and raised the weapon to test out the balance. "But yes, yes I can."

"What are we thinking?" I asked. "We are ten! We can't fight those men! We are going to die, or get captured, or get captured and die!"

"Well, someone's a just little ray of sunshine." Belle commented, gazing at the door. "Where's your father and the rest of the guards?"

"T-they're inspecting one of the nearby mines! Then, Father went to pick my sister up from the airship-port since it's winter break!"

"Okay, okay... What time are they supposed to get back?"

"T-three."

"It's two-thirty." Belle checked a watch and looked at me, growing serious as someone started to pound on the door. We had moments. "Miss Schnee, I can't do this without your help. Just trust me, fight with me, and be brave for a half-hour. Just a half-hour, and then everything will be alright. Okay?"

Was this the timid, stuttering, whimpering girl in the infirmary? Why was she being so calm in this madness?

"... Okay." I agreed. I was going to be a Huntress, after all. I would have to learn how to work with others, to be brave. "And I think, under the circumstances, that you may call me _Weiss_." It was shorter, easier to say. The door started to come apart, and Belle nodded as she aimed her crossbow at it.

I noticed two triggers on her chosen weapon and raised an eyebrow. One was bigger, and one was smaller. What could that mean?

"HEY!" Belle greeted as the door splintered and a man's face was made visible. " _Playing hero_?!" Belle fired the crossbow and sent a Dust-bolt, and I could barely see it knock the man back and freeze him to a wall. Belle smirked, looking over at me and laughing mischievously. "Who's playing?"

I smiled as the door broke open and slashed my blade, using my semblance to create two small blue glyphs that sent bursts of power flying at the other four, sending them flying back. Belle and I ran out the door and down the hallway, Belle covering our retreat by firing another Ice-bolt and covering the floor behind us in ice.

"Time?!"

"Twenty-five minutes!" Belle replied, catching up and running next to me. "This is probably the craziest thing I've ever done!"

"Agreed!"

We turned back and launched a volley of attacks at the enemy, holding them back, then Belle accidentally pulled the little trigger. A Dust-round fired and blasted one of the men into a wall, knocking him out cold.

Belle and I both stared at her weapon, stunned, then Belle laughed and looked at me, eyes wide.

"It's a gun, Weiss! A gun! This crossbow is a freakin' gun!"

"Language!" I snapped. I stabbed the ground with my blade set to Fire-Dust, my fire and Belle's ice creating a shroud of mist. We started running again, my companion looking annoyed.

" _Language_?!" Belle asked, spinning around and firing Dust-rounds aa the men emerged from the mist. "Are you kidding me?!"

"Is this really the time?!" I asked. Then, I tripped and looked up as the remaining three men approached. One reached out for me, and my eyes widened. Was this really how it was going to end? "Oh, for-!"

Belle leapt up and shot the man in the face with a Dust-round, knocking him out and smirking as she turned and offered me a hand.

"Watch your _language_ , young lady!" She ordered jokingly. I took her hand and was pulled to my feet, then flicked my blade and froze another man (who had been sneaking up behind Belle) to the wall.

"You're a servant!" I reminded her. "I give the orders!" That's when the three men we'd previously taken care of recovered and returned, breaking the fourth out. All five were glaring at us. "Run!"

I raised my blade and created speed-glyphs on the floor under us, Belle and I running around the house in an attempt to escape.

"Ten minutes!" Belle checked her watch, smiling and looking over at me. "We might just survive this!" We ran to the front door, hoping to be able to get a better place to run on the lawn. As we crossed the doorway Belle suddenly collapsed in agony, writhing on the ground and screaming as she grabbed at her neck. It was the collar, glowing brighter as ten-times the amount of power it had used to try and keep her in the infirmary. I looked back as the men caught up. "Go, Weiss..! Run..!"

Belle was grabbed by the hood of her jacket and pulled back into the house by the lead man, who laughed as the crossbow fell from the medic's barely-conscious hands. I couldn't move, and I felt the rapier slip from my hands.

"Look at the little hero, boys." The man mocked, then threw Belle into a wall with all he had. She fell to the floor in a heap, barely able to move. "What's this?" The lead man picked her up again. He had noticed the collar on Belle's neck. "My God..."

I was finally able to move again, and I turned and darted into a blizzard. I ran with all I had, the five men having tossed Belle aside to chase me. I was too exhausted, physically and emotionally, to produce more glyphs.

I tripped again and fell into the snow, and I quickly curled up, hoping that my skin-tone, hair, and outfit would hide me from my pursuers. I was wrong.

"Finally!" A man grabbed me by the ponytail, glaring at me. "Let's get the Hell away from this slave-ship." _Slave_? What slave?

Oh.

Belle.

Suddenly, a flash of black, white, red, and gold leapt up and sunk its teeth into the man's arm. He dropped me with a cry of pain, and I was hastily pulled away from the men.

Belle stood there, twitching as the collar electrocuted her, between me and the men. She briefly looked back at me, giving a wink.

"One." She assured. I could have laughed if I wasn't so afraid. The men approached, and I heard Belle counting down under her breath. "Thirty, twenty-nine, twenty-eight..." I was trying to keep myself calm as the two of us backed away from the men, clinging to one of my father's lessons.

 _A Schnee is always on time, a Schnee is always on time..._

"Nowhere left to run, girls." The lead-man smirked. "It's over." Belle was in the teen-seconds now, and I reached out and gripped her hand.

"Miss Schnee, your father mentioned that your sister is a Huntress?" Belle tried stalling, and the men tensed up. "Ten, nine, eight..." I nodded shakily, seeing her plan.

"Yes! It's her first year training at Atlas!" I replied. "That's where Father has gone, to collect her for break!"

"Right, Miss Schnee!" Belle nodded. "And when are they going to be getting home, again? Five, four, three..." I smiled deviously, seeing an elegant white limo parking in the driveway.

"Now." I announced simply. The men paled and turned around just in time to be knocked aside by a flash white summoned by a figure in grey, white, and red. Winter glared, drawing her sword and pointing it at the men.

"Step away from my sister." She ordered. I smiled and gave a quick curtsy, Belle sighing in relief before shaking out of it and bowing her head.

"Hello, sister." I greeted. "Your presence honors us." My sister gave a nod of approval as Father's escorts/guards arrived and took the men away, Father walking over.

"What happened?" Father asked. His eyes narrowed as they fell on Belle. "You." The medic's eyes widened in fear, but I stepped in front of her and pushed her behind me.

"Belle saved me." I announced. "Those men wanted to kidnap me and hold me for ransom. Belle rescued me and got me to the armory, and she fought them by my side." Belle was still twitching in pain due to the collar's shocks, and she finally sank down onto her knees. I turned around and kneeled next to her, my eyes widening as she gritted her teeth in agony, tears racing down her face. "Belle?!"

Winter turned and looked at Father with a light glare, then kneeled next to me and pulled Belle's jacket aside, revealing the collar. Her eyes widened, then narrowed as she ripped the collar off.

Belle gasped in relief, slumping over in the snow and drifting into unconsciousness. I noticed a necklace around her neck. A green leaf on a silver chain.

"So." Father crossed his arms, looking skeptical. "The medic defended you?" I nodded, looking up at him.

"Yes, Father." I answered. "With her life." A guard ran up, and Father gestured to Belle, so he scooped her up. Winter helped me to my feet, and we all went back inside as everyone else slowly recovered and cleaned up.

Father picked the rapier and the crossbow up from the ground, his eyes narrowing as he turned to me. My grip on Winter's hand tightened.

"You defended yourselves with these?" My father asked, and he looked around. "Well, by the looks of it... Our little medic is more than meets the eye."

 ** _Well... Is Belle in trouble? What is Weiss' father going to say when she wakes up? What will Winter have to say about Belle's treatment (remember, this is before she joined the military and split from her family)? What's going to happen, now?_**

 ** _I only own my OC! Please read, review, check out my other stories, etc. Thanks!_**


	3. Kindness (Belle)

I shifted slightly, my eyes clenched shut and refusing to open, my body feeling like it was on fire. Wherever I was, the air was cold, but at last it wasn't cellar-cold... I curled up on something soft to try and ease the pain, a warm blanket over me.

This wasn't the mat in the cellar of Schnee Manor, but it also wasn't my cot in a White Fang tent with my sister and Adam. I was somewhere more comfortable than any place I had ever been, before. And I was in so much pain that I had two good reasons to stay there.

"Belle?" A voice asked. "Are you waking up?" I knew that voice. Who was it? "Belle?" I heard the worry, and that made it all the harder to believe who it was. How could it possibly be..?

"W-Weiss?" I asked, managing to open my eyes. I wasn't strong enough to sit up, and the world was bright-white and blurry. "W-what happened? Where am I? I can't see anything..."

"You're in one of our guest rooms, recovering." Weiss explained. "You were exhausted after the attack, and being electrocuted didn't really help... I came in to check on you."

"But... I'm just a servant." It was the cold, harsh reality that I had accepted. There was no escaping, no rescue. I would never see my sister or Adam ever again. I was trapped, enslaved. An animal, a piece of property. "Why would you care enough to visit, _Miss Schnee_?"

"... I wanted to thank you." Weiss replied quietly. I blinked a few times, surprised, and my vision returned. I saw Weiss sitting by my bedside, bowing her head. "After what my father's done to you, you still protected me... Why?"

"... I may not like your father, but that doesn't mean that I would just let those men take you." I looked down. "No one deserves to be taken from their family, their home." Weiss looked up, looking remorseful.

"Is that what my father did to you?" She asked. I looked up. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

"You had nothing to do with it... I think he's holding me over my family's head, taunting them. There's no way I could escape or they could help me... I'll never see them again."

"You're awake." A voice spoke. Weiss and I turned to see a teenage girl, Winter Schnee, standing in the doorway. I tensed up as she entered, slowly walking over to my bedside (opposite to Weiss). Her icy-blue eyes examined me carefully. "... I would like to thank you for defending my sister."

"What?" I asked, surprised. Then, I quickly bowed my head. "It was an honor to assist Miss-" Winter held her hand up, sighing as she looked down at me.

"Don't... This should not have happened to you, regardless of background. You're just a child."

"Um..."

"My name is Winter Schnee." The teen extended her hand, and I shook it. "I understand that your name is _Belle_." I nodded, gulping. "You have no need to fear me. After all..." Winter held something up, and I recoiled. "I was the one who removed this."

The collar.

"Y-you-?"

"Indeed." Winter stated, then somehow snapped the device in half. "Barbaric." My eyes widened. "A child, regardless of background, does not deserve such cruelty."

"I'm sorry!" Weiss blurted out. "If I had managed to hide better, you wouldn't have had to fight, and you wouldn't have gotten zapped!" I was slowly beginning to calm down, and I stared at the two sisters, stunned.

"I-I'm fine, really." I bowed my head again, confused. Was this kindness, from the Schnee heiresses? "It wasn't a big deal. I didn't really mind-"

"You do not have to act like that when our father is not around." Winter's icy eyes softened. "Belle, how is it that you came to be here?"

What was I going to do? I didn't want to lie to people who could potentially help me, yet by telling them the truth, I would turn them against me. Hmm...

"Well, to be honest, an old friend of mine was participating in a White Fang rally." I admitted, thinking of Adam. "He asked me to be there in case anyone got hurt, but when the guards attacked us (even though we were being peaceful, no offense), my friend and I got separated, and I ended up getting captured." It was the truth, just not all of it. "Then... I was told that I would either be handed over to the authorities, interrogated, thrown out onto the street, k-killed, or enslaved as a medic. That's when they put the collar on, they gave me a mat to sleep on in the cellar, and here I am." Winter looked livid. Weiss' eyes were wide in horror. "N-not that there's anything wrong with the cellar-"

"Excuse me." Winter turned, clenching her fists in rage. "I must go and speak with our father." My eyes widened as she stormed out of the room.

"Don't worry." Weiss smiled. "Winter will fix this." I tensed up, gripping the bedsheets and trying to process everything. "Belle, are you alright?"

"Y-you're not mad at me for helping the White Fang?" I asked. Weiss pouted, crossing her arms and looking away, seeming annoyed.

"Father doesn't like them very much, but they haven't actually done anything that makes me afraid of them or mad." The heiress admitted. "I mean, them protesting outside my house was kinda scary, but I'm not like my father. I don't hate the Faunus, and I haven't even met any to see if I like them."

"So... _Indifference_?" I asked. Weiss quickly shook her head.

"No, no! Of course not... I don't mean to sound rude. I'm sure that your friend is very nice."

"Yeah." I smiled, remembering my friend and my sister. "He is." We were silent for a moment, then...

"What is he like?" Weiss asked. "What is the White Fang like? I've never really been allowed to explore, so I don't really know what the real world is like."

"Well..." I gave a small laugh. "My friend was like an older brother. He was always looking out for me, and he taught me everything I know about fighting and strategy. He's kind, caring, strong, an amazing leader, and he's going to do great things someday. I know it... But he's suffered a lot, and that's why he's in the White Fang. He knows that they can make a difference if just given the chance." I shook out of it, nervous. "S-sorry."

"No, it's... Amazing."

"Amazing?"

"You've seen everything in person, Belle. I mean, you know how the Faunus are really treated and all of the things that my father tries to cover up. And I think that standing up, tired of being pushed around, is brave and amazing... I wish that I was as strong as your friend."

"Yeah." I gave a small smile. "Me, too..." I shook out of it. "What do you think that your sister is saying to your father, Miss Schnee?"

"I told you, it's _Weiss_... I don't know. Winter and Father have never really gotten along, so I know it's going to be bad."

"I'm sorry-"

"It's his fault, not yours."

"... Why are you being so nice to me?" I asked. "Sure, I saved your life, but... I just don't get it. I haven't really done anything to deserve this. I was in just as much danger-"

"No." Weiss shook her head. "You could have stayed hidden in that room, and they never would have found you. You wouldn't have gotten zapped, you wouldn't have had anything to do with it... No one expected you to do what you did. Myself included." Weiss smiled. "You showed me kindness. You at least deserve to get some kindness back."

"So, this is just to thank me?"

"Yes, and no." Weiss admitted, then sighed and looked down. "I just..." Weiss' voice seemed to give out. I raised an eyebrow, confused.

"What?"

"... I've never met someone who's my age, before." Weiss looked up, seeming somewhat embarrassed. My eyes widened. "And, seeing the first person I had ever met who was my age getting treated like you were being treated... I want to help you, Belle. Winter feels the same way. We'll do everything we can. Even if we can't find your family or your friend, we'll at the very least make you comfortable here. You'll be safe and taken care of."

"Weiss, I..." I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Kindness from Schnees? I looked down, clenching my fists around my blankets. The White Fang had abandoned me to die, and now the Schnee heiresses were taking care of me? What inter-dimensional portal had I fallen through? I slowly looked up, smiling. "Thank you."

"No need." Weiss assured, then laughed. "Is it bad that fighting those men was the most fun I've had, ever?!" I laughed right with her.

"I know, right?! And when I found out that the crossbow was also a gun?!"

"Your expression was priceless!"

I kid you not, it took all of my willpower to not make a Schnee/rich-person joke right then and there. Luckily, Winter walked in and saved me from making a probably-insulting comment.

"I have spoken with our father." Winter announced, though from the color of her face, it looked more like she had screamed at Old Man Schnee. "And he has given an ultimatum... Belle, there will be no more shock-collars, sleeping in the cellar, or isolation. In fact, you've been promoted."

"Wait, what?"

"While you will serve as a medic when necessary, you have been assigned as Weiss' chief bodyguard and protector." Winter stated. Weiss and I exchanged shocked glances. "Starting tomorrow, you will attend lessons in combat with Weiss, the instructor adapting to fit whatever style suits you best. You will have an unlimited access to the rest of Schnee Manor while escorting Weiss, save our father's study and room, and you will attend lessons with Weiss. It would be best for you to have a full education, seeing as how wherever you go from now on, you will be representing the Schnee family." Winter smiled, looking around the room. "This room, right across from Weiss', is where you will be staying from now on."

"What..?" I blinked a few times, stunned. Then, I shook out of it, smiling. "Thank you, Miss Schnee!" I bowed my head in thanks.

No more collar.

No more cellar.

No more isolation.

Sure, I was still being held somewhat-prisoner, but a time would probably come when I would no longer feel like that. Stockholm-Syndrome and whatever... But this was my chance to change things.

Growing up alongside the Schnee heiresses, forming bonds and close relationships, I would someday be able to prove to all of the world once and for all that Faunus can be trusted and deserved just as much respect as anyone else. After all, if a Faunus and a Schnee could work together instead of killing each other, anything was possible.

If only Blake could see me.

 ** _/\/\/\/\_**

 _In a White Fang camp, Adam watched worriedly as a tiny figure in black viciously battled a combat-instructor. When she was eventually thrown back and a buzzer sounded, Blake Belladonna stood, baring her teeth in rage._

 _"Again!" She snarled, then charged. Adam looked down, clenching his fists and sighing before looking up at the night sky._

 _"Belle, if you can hear me, help her." The bull-Faunus murmured quietly. "Your sister is lost without you." Adam looked up with wide eyes as the combat-instructor was thrown back, unconscious._

 _Blake stood there, holding her katana, beaten and exhausted. Slowly, she smirked and let out a cold laugh, a wicked gleam in her golden eyes._

 _"They'll all pay."_

 _ **Well... Belle's condition is improving while Blake's is declining. While Belle and Weiss start forming a mutual trust, Adam watches as Blake falls further and further into the shadows. What will happen, next? I only own my OC. Please read, review, check out my other stories, etc. Thanks!**_


	4. Growing Closer (Weiss)

When Belle finally recovered, she started training with me. The instructor, Winter, and Father still weren't sure about allowing us to use the weapons we had used during the invasion, so they insisted that Belle try some other options.

 ** _/\_**

"Okay..." Belle held a practice-rapier, raising an eyebrow as she kept adjusting her grip. "Kinda light, isn't it?" I nodded in agreement.

"The real deal is a bit heavier, but not much."

"It feels like even a slight wind would snap this thing like a toothpick." Belle frowned, switching hands as she attempted to grow accustomed to the weapon. "Yeah, I'm thinking something heavier."

 ** _/\_**

Belle struggled as she tried to lift a large battle-hammer, wincing as she failed to lift it more than a few inches off the ground, letting out a small noise of effort.

Father and Winter, who were observing our efforts, smirked lightly at the sight of her trials. Winter cleared her throat, Belle looking over.

"Heavy enough for you?"

"... Yes... Miss Schnee..."

 ** _/\_**

Belle lifted up a dual-bladed battle-axe, seeming surprised as she changed it between hands and nodding in approval, smiling.

"Not too stealthy, but not bad." She admitted, then aimed it at a target. "Is there a trigger, or..?" I shook my head. "Aw, it isn't a gun?!"

"No, it isn't." I replied, Belle looking down in disappointment. "But the blades are interchangeable with Dust-blades." The girl looked up.

"No offense, Miss Schnee, but if I'm going to be charged with protecting you, I need something that's fast. And, hopefully, something that's also a gun."

 ** _/\_**

Belle raised the sniper-rifle and aimed it at a target, closing one eye to focus as she carefully lined it up. Belle, fired, yelping in surprise as the recoil sent her falling on her back.

"Belle!" I ran over and helped her sit up, Belle getting to her feet and brushing herself off. "Are you alright?" Belle nodded, sighing.

"Yep." We looked over at the target. "Well, what do you know? A bullseye." For some reason, after she said _bullseye_ , Belle frowned.

"Perhaps something a little more... Close-range." Winter suggested. "You won't be protecting Weiss from the rooftops, after all."

 ** _/\_**

Belle spun a bo-staff, smiling in triumph as she managed to spin it like a baton, looking pretty impressive. Then, it flew up and hit her in the forehead, sending her falling to the ground.

"That's gonna bruise..."

"What about your aura?" I frowned. Belle looked up at me tiredly, lying on the ground (flat on her back) and giving a weak shrug.

"It's not unlocked." She admitted. My eyes widened in surprise. "I'm just like everyone else." My sister and father walked over, their eyes slightly widened.

"Those electric shocks would have daunted a person who had their aura unlocked." Father stated. "How is it that you managed to fight it?" Belle looked up, giving a light smile.

"To put it simply: I'm stubborn." Belle forced herself to her feet, and Winter placed a hand on her shoulder. "Wait, what are you-?!"

" **For it is in passing that we achieve immortality.** " Winter's whole body lit up a light-blue. " **Through this, we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all, infinite in distance and unbound by death.** " Belle's body lit up a dark-blue, like the color of the night sky. " **I release your soul, and by my shoulder, protect thee.** " Belle and Winter opened their eyes, Belle looking down at her bruised hands as they slowly healed up.

"Whoa..."

"We can't have a bodyguard with a locked aura, now can we?" Winter asked, directing the question at our father for the most part. "Now, I believe we all know that none of these weapons are working out, and Weiss is ready for an upgrade." Winter turned to a servant. "Bring us _Mitternacht_ and _Myternaster_."

" _Mitternacht_?" Belle asked. Winter looked back at her as the servant ran off, nodding in confirmation.

"Your weapon of choice. The name comes from an ancient language, and it means _Midnight_."

"Oh... Neat."

 ** _/\_**

A few minutes later, Winter was instructing Belle on all of _Mitternacht_ 's uses. Belle listened carefully, following Winter's instructions perfectly. Father and I watched from the sidelines, Father skeptical while I mostly felt nervous for my new... Friend?

"Hit that mechanism." Winter ordered, gesturing, and Belle nodded. She flipped a switch, then yelled in surprise as the crossbow split into twin katanas. Belle's face lit up, and she smiled as she expertly swung the blades. "You have training with katanas?"

"Y-yes, Miss Schnee." Belle quickly bowed her head and closed her eyes, lowering the weapons. "Two f-friends of mine used single katanas."

"Hmm... So, we won't be starting from scratch. You know the basics?"

"Y-yes, Miss Schnee."

"Good." Winter drew her blade. "Let us begin." Belle's eyes widened, and she quickly raised her blades to block Winter's strike. "Trust your instincts! They are what keep you quick!" Belle took a step back, only for Winter to kick her in the side and send her falling to the ground. "But they alone will not keep you alive. Strength, discipline, speed, quick wit: these are the qualities you need to acquire if you wish to protect yourself, let alone protect my sister."

Belle looked up from the floor, then closed her eyes and nodded. Belle got to her feet and raised her blades, getting into a stronger stance.

"Then, it is a good thing, Miss Schnee, that I am a fast learner."

 ** _/\_**

Belle and I stumbled down the hallway, exhausted and beaten after a long day of training with Winter and the instructor. We parted ways in the hallway, and I stumbled into my room and collapsed onto my bed with an unladylike grunt of pain.

"Why..?" I got up and changed into my pajamas, getting into my bed and pulling the covers over myself. I laid there for a few moments, thinking.

Was Belle really okay with all of this? With staying with and working for people who had practically kidnapped her off of the streets? Who had electrocuted her and treated her like dirt? Why wasn't she still trying to escape? Why was she being so cooperative and forgiving?

No, _forgiving_ wasn't the word. Belle was still terrified of my father, I could see it in her eyes. It was more like she was accepting and resigning herself to all of this.

She seemed to trust Winter and I, though that may just be a result of our little shows of kindness. My sister and I were the lights in the darkness, the only things that Belle had to hold on to while she was in captivity, in slavery.

My thoughts went to Belle, herself. She could be quiet and timid at times, but at other times (when Father wasn't around) she could be loud and playful. She was sarcastic, funny, and a great joy to be around. And even when she should have hated me, she had my back and protected me from harm. The first child my age that I had ever met...

I closed my eyes and smiled slightly, making a decision. I would tell her, tomorrow.

How would she take the news?

 ** _/\_**

I got up and got dressed in the morning, meeting Bell and walking down to breakfast. Breakfast, like all meals, was usually held in the dining room. I usually ate alone, but since Winter was there and Belle was now required to stay with me at all times, that had changed.

I looked over at Belle as she walked, noticing her new attire. Gone was her medic uniform. Belle now wore a pair of black pants, black sneakers, a dark-blue t-shirt, and a black jacket. Her hair was still in a ponytail, and she now wore a black bow on her head.

"Your sister claimed that white and red were not my colors, Miss Schnee." Belle noticed me staring and gave a light smile, which I returned. "She requested a new outfit."

"That's good, Belle. You look far more comfortable in it... Belle, there's something I want to tell you. It will be a secret, just between us."

"What is it, Miss Schnee?"

"I told you, Belle. When we're alone, you can call me _Weiss_." I sighed, looking down and closing my eyes as we walked. "Belle, when you lived on the outside, what did you think of Schnees?"

"Well... I had mixed feelings. Your family had never harmed me personally, but they had harmed people that I knew and cared for."

"Your friend?"

"Yeah. He'd been through a lot, and he was always so angry and scared and sad and he didn't know how to make himself feel better... I think he translated all of those emotions into trying to protect me, but I can only wonder what they're being used for, now." Belle shook out of it and looked up at me. "To be honest, I thought that Schnees had it all. Money, power, a huge mansion filled with servants to call home, and no worries... I guess I was wrong about that last one."

"... My father may treat the Faunus with disdain, but at least he constantly acknowledges their existence. I've had to struggle not only to stay in his favor, but to even stay in his memory. He hasn't remembered my birthday on his own in five years, a servant has to tell him. Every step I take in training, he just waves it off..." I looked down. "Winter's his favorite daughter. She's the Huntress, she's the prodigy, she's the heiress. She's everything he wants a Schnee to be... I'm just the spare."

"Weiss..." A hand was placed on my shoulder. "Do you really think he would hire a medic specifically to take care of a spare? Do you think that he'd hire a bodyguard if he didn't care about you?" I looked up to see Belle giving a small smile, looking at me. "My friend, he had a funny way of showing how he cared. He would constantly stay near me, arms crossed and pretending he was just there with no purpose as he looked up at the sky, maybe he'd engage in a little bit of conversation where I'd make him smile a little bit. He'd criticize me while I was training in medicine or sparring, he'd say things that were kind of mean as long as they got me motivated. Then, if anyone ever tried to pick on me..." Belle smiled deviously and hit the palm of her hand with the opposite fist, and I giggled. "See? People are weird, Weiss. No doubt about that. But they really do care. If someone didn't care about anyone in the world or didn't think that they had anyone to care about them, they'd go crazy."

"... Belle." I took a deep breath. "About that secret." Belle looked at me. "I don't want you to be my servant and I your owner." I held a hand out, smiling. "I want to be your friend." Belle stared at my hand for a moment, actually pausing her steps in her surprise. Then, her smile slowly returned, and she shook it. "Friends?"

"Friends."

 ** _/\/\/\/\_**

Two Years Later

Belle yelled in effort as she threw two larger opponents back with her katanas, somersaulting to dodge the bullets they sent flying at her as they recovered. Belle smirked as she grabbed something from her belt, throwing a silver hook attached to a black ribbon and hooking it on a beam in the training arena, running around her attackers with an inhuman speed and tripping them.

A buzzer went off, the instructor walking over and crossing his arms, raising an eyebrow as Belle wrapped the ribbon up and placed it at her belt.

"What was that?"

"Um... A new idea?"

"Hmmm... Clever." The instructor admitted, giving a small smile and a nod of approval. Belle beamed, then turned and looked at me as I ran over.

Belle was wearing a loose black t-shirt and long black shorts for her training, along with her usual black sneakers. Her hair was in its usual ponytail with the bow, and she smiled.

I was wearing a white dress with a short, poofy skirt under a white jacket with some white flats, my hair in a high side-ponytail held by a silver band.

"Good job!" I smiled. "You fought well!" My friend nodded in thanks, combining her blades into crossbow-form and putting it on her back.

"Thanks... Woo, that was rough."

"Come on, let's get something to eat." I laughed as she rested her hands on her knees to recover. "You look like you could use it."

"Yeah... Just no-"

"Chocolate and grapes, I know. You're allergic."

"Uh-huh."

"And, you're not allowed to have too much caffeine... You have the strangest allergies, you know that? It's almost like a cat."

I walked off, leading the way and not noticing Belle's wide-eyed stare, or her sigh of relief and closed her eyes, her expression filled with guilt.

 ** _/\_**

"Your lunch, Miss Schnee." The maid set my plate down in front of me, then turned to Belle, her nose wrinkling with some disdain. "Your meal."

The maid set Belle's plate down with a clatter and practically stormed off, and Belle rolled her eyes, sighing and shaking her head.

"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed, this morning."

"Why does she always treat you like that?!" I asked, fed up. "And why do you allow it, Belle?!"

"Hey, I'm used to it." Belle took a sip of milk, then a bite out of her tuna sandwich, then she looked at me. "I never had much money, never had a real home, and my parents... I was always different. And when I first came here, I was different. And now that I'm _the highest-ranking servant of the Schnee family_ , or whatever-"

"You're still different." I sighed, looking down. We sat in silence for a few moments, then... "Why don't we go and watch TV, after lunch?"

"Yeah. That last conversation was a bit too depressing, for my tastes."

 ** _/\_**

Belle stared at the TV, her eyes wide in astonishment as she saw the news. The White Fang with a new, blood-red and messy version of their emblem marched through the streets, wearing silver masks like the faces of Grimm.

They pillaged.

They hurt.

They killed.

"Oh my God." Belle raised a hand to her mouth, her eyes filling with tears. "This can't be happening..." I placed a hand on her shoulder, concerned.

"Belle?"

"T-this can't be real. The Faunus of the White Fang are kind, compassionate, loyal, brave. A lot of them were my friends. They would never do this. Those can't be White Fang-"

"They are." Father walked into the room, his eyes narrowed as he saw the two of us, examining Belle carefully. His eyes actually widened when Belle put her face in her hands and started sobbing. "You didn't know anything about this?" Belle didn't reply, she was unable to choke the words out through her sobs. "... As you were, girls."

I just hugged Belle, trying to comfort her, neither of us noticing a cat-girl with black hair and golden eyes and a bull-boy with red/brown hair and red eyes at the front of the mob, the girl yelling in rage as she raised a katana as the boy watched her with concern.

 ** _/\/\/\/\_**

Two Years Later

I walked out or the training-arena after my battle with the possession-Grimm Knight, and Belle ran over, her eyes wide as she looked at the wound I had received, pulling out her medic bag.

"Oh, God! I've got to hurry and fix this before it scars!"

I wore a pale blue bolero-jacket over a similarly colored thigh-length dress with a piece of black lace making up the neckline of the dress. The inside of the bolero was red and the sleeves turned blue as they got closer to my wrists. The back of the bolero displayed the Schnee Crest. I wore an apple-shaped silver necklace along with a pair of thin, rectangular, silver earrings. I wore white, heeled wedge boots that went to mid-calf, the insides also lined with red. My long white hair was pulled back in an off-center ponytail, at the base of which was a small tiara that resembled icicles. I also wore a small bag on the back of my dress wrapped around my waist with a ribbon, and it was used to carry Dust-crystals and vials.

My bodyguard's hair was kept in a high ponytail by a silvery ribbon, two wavy locks hanging down to frame the sides of her face, and a black bow perched on top of her head. Besides a little cover-up to hide any marks on her face, she wore a little bit of black eyeliner and mascara to greatly contrast her colder eyes, with a tad bit of dark-blue eyeshadow.

Belle wore a short-sleeved black dress (with a slight v-neck) that clung to her form and went to a few inches above the knees, a pair of black leggings underneath. Going over her leggings she wore a pair of tall, black, high-heeled boots with silver soles, and she wore a pair of black, fingerless opera gloves. She wore a black belt that held her Dust-cartridges and the silver fastener for her hooked-ribbon, the silver buckle depicting her emblem. Her emblem was an curvy silver cross, likely a remnant from her medic uniform, with a black stone set in the center and little curls and curves of black metal rising off of it and decorating the silver circle that the emblem was enclosed in. Over this, Belle wore a long black trench-coat that went to the middle of her calves, the sleeves rolled up slightly on the forearms, the collar rising up three inches on the sides of her face and raising up to four in the back. The various buttons and zippers on the coat and its pockets were silver, and the girl wore a diagonal black strap across her body and over the coat to hold her giant black/blue/silver crossbow to her back (in collapsed-form). Around her neck was a silver chain with a medallion depicting the Schnee emblem, marking her as one of our highest-ranking employees.

"I'm fine, Belle." I rolled my eyes as she started trying to help with the wound, and I grabbed her wrist. "You know what this means, right?" Belle raised an eyebrow, and I smiled. "We're going to Beacon." My bodyguard's eyes widened. "We're going to Beacon!"

"EEEEEEEEEE!" We grabbed each other's hands, both of us laughing and bouncing in excitement. This was the start of a new life, a new future.

It was time to step out of the Schnee Dust Company's shadow.

 ** _/\/\/\/\_**

One Year Later

After my concert, I walked backstage to find a large group of paparazzi waiting for me. Before they could even start to take pictures, Belle was between them and me like a shadow. My bodyguard crossed her arms and glared, then raised a hand, holding up a paper.

" _Photographs, videos, and other visual-documentation of Weiss Schnee, heiress to the **Schnee Dust Company** , may only be taken by individuals who pass the inspection of either the CEO of the **Schnee Dust Company** or Weiss Schnee's bodyguard. Those who violate this document will be subject to lawsuit or incarceration depending on the severity of their act._ " Belle put the paper away, assuming her protective stance. "My name is Belle Belladonna, I am Miss Schnee's personal bodyguard, and with all due respect: back the Hell off before I crack your skulls together." The paparazzi ran off, and Belle smiled as she looked back at me. "How did I do?"

"Excellent." I beamed. Belle laughed, shaking her head and briefly closing her eyes before looking up (or should I say down?) at me.

"You were great, out there." She admitted, grinning. "Your song was a hit. I can see an album coming out. Probably a few dance-party remixes."

"Belle, please..." I rolled my eyes and smiled, placing my hands on my hips. "It wasn't that big of a deal."

"Don't you give me that." Belle placed her hands on her hips, copying my stance. "I know that you've been working on that song since before we even met. This is a HUGE deal."

"Yeah... There were A LOT of people out there- AH!" My legs gave out, and Belle caught me before I could hit the ground, helping me up. My friend crossed her arms and smirked.

"You know, for someone who likes being at the center of attention, you really don't take attention that well."

"Hey!"

"I'm just saying..."

 ** _/\/\/\/\_**

Two Years Later

"Well..." Belle began as we walked down a path outside of Beacon, surveying the area as some of my other servants pushed a cart full of luggage. "What now?" Belle suddenly ran forward and caught a girl in red and black as she fell back, saving her from crashing into my luggage. "Whoa! Are you okay, kid?"

"No!" The girl admitted, standing up straight and tapping her index fingers together nervously. "My sister left me out here and I don't know where I'm supposed to go or do and I feel really, really out of place and I'm socially-awkward!" Belle and I exchanged glances, both of us raising eyebrows. "Sorry. Um... My name's Ruby, Ruby Rose." The girl held a hand out timidly.

"Hmph. I am Weiss Schnee." I shook her hand, not amused by the girl's foolish little antics. "Heiress to the _Schnee Dust Company_." The girl's silver eyes widened in surprise.

"Wow, um... It's an honor to meet you, then?" Ruby attempted a curtsy, only to lose balance. Belle caught her hand again, pulling her up.

"Belle Belladonna." Belle slammed a fist over her heart and gave a bow. "I am Miss Schnee's personal bodyguard... A pleasure to meet you, Ruby Rose." Belle extended a hand, and Ruby shook it, eyebrow raised.

"Um... Why are you talking like that?"

"I have been instructed by my employer to speak like this while in the presence of new acquaintances to Miss Schnee, or in public in general without her permission to speak freely." Belle replied elegantly. I rolled my eyes, placing my hands on my hips.

"Belle, we're not in Atlas, anymore. You can speak normally whenever you want." I frowned slightly. "I don't need you getting picked on."

"Of course, Miss Schnee." Belle bowed her head, then sighed and looked up with a small smirk. "Thanks. If I had to talk like that for another second, I would shoot myself in the face." Belle turned to Ruby, shrugging. "Sorry about that... Hey, aren't you a little-?"

"Young?" Ruby asked, looking down in embarrassment. "Yeah. See, a few nights ago, I stopped these guys from robbing a Dust-shop. It wasn't a big deal, but Professor Ozpin found out, so..." Ruby raised her arms before letting them fall to her sides. "Here I am. I don't know why I'm here, but I don't have any friends and my sister abandoned me, so... Yeah." I felt my heart soften slightly for the little girl in red, and I sighed.

"Well... Perhaps we'll see you later." I tried, managing a small smile. Ruby looked up with wide eyes, then nodded.

"Y-yeah! Maybe!"

Belle and I nodded, then we walked away, leading my servants down the path. We didn't notice Ruby collapsing in the background, or the boy who helped her to her feet. Belle looked over at me, eyebrow raised.

"She seemed nice."

"I suppose."

"... You feeling okay?"

"Yes. What could possibly make you think that I wasn't feeling okay?"

"You're just acting a little... Off."

"Off?"

"You've gone a little bit... _Ice Queen_."

"Hey!"

"I'm sorry! It's just that you looked ready to tear that poor kid's head off!"

"... I did?"

"Hey." Belle placed a hand on my shoulder, smiling. "We've both got to figure out this whole social-thing. Let's just take it one step at a time."

"Yeah... We better get to the auditorium. I refuse to be late for the opening ceremony."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Belle..!"

"Couldn't help it!"

 ** _Well, they're at Beacon! Are the changes starting to pop out at you, yet? I think that I'm doing alright, but what do you think? I only own my OC. Please read, review, check out my other stories, etc. Thanks!_**


	5. Lady Bodyguard (Belle)

After Professor Ozpin's speech, Weiss and I went to the ballroom with the other students. As we walked, someone tapped Weiss on the shoulder, and my bodyguard's instincts inadvertently kicked in. I was trained to kill if need be to protect Weiss Schnee, hardwired into a perfect guarding-machine.

I drew a dagger and spun around, holding it to the offender's throat, glaring as he raised his hands in surrender. It was a blonde boy with blue eyes, and he looked ready to shit himself.

"Belle, stand down." Weiss raised a hand, and I lowered my knife. Weiss crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow, looking at the boy expectantly. "Well?"

"I-I..." The blonde boy was still staring at me in fear. "She's not going to do that again, right?" I crossed my arms and gave a small smirk.

"Maybe~..."

"This is my bodyguard and most trusted friend, Belle Belladonna." Weiss introduced me. "She is under the strictest orders to protect me. If you do not threaten me, I see no reason for her to harm you." I rolled my eyes.

"You just had to ruin it..."

"Well, then!" The boy beamed and held out a hand. "Jaune Arc. Pleasure to meet you, Miss..?" Wow. He didn't know who Weiss Schnee was? That must have rocked Weiss' world...

"Weiss." Weiss tensely reached out and shook the boy's hand. "Weiss Schnee." I didn't notice a reaction from the boy. He hadn't even heard of her?

"Wow." He smiled, still looking a bit nervous as I watched carefully. "What a great name... I, um, guess I'll be seeing you around, then?"

"I suppose." Weiss replied. Jaune stepped away and gave a poor attempt at a bow, and I almost giggled at the thought: _Knight in Tattered Blue-Jeans_.

His armor and weapon suggested a more knight-esque style of fighting, and it was surprisingly easy to picture the bumbling blonde going instant-badass if the situation called for it. Maybe it was because he seemed so nice and innocent, and when those sort of people snap, you want to see it.

I'd give him three months, maximum.

"Lady Bodyguard, Fair _Snow-Angel_ : I bid you farewell." The boy grinned, then turned and ran for the hills. I let out a loud snort, then flat-out laughed at Weiss' expression.

" _Snow-Angel_?!"

"Why, that bumbling little-!"

"That was priceless!" I nearly doubled-over from laughing. Weiss crossed her arms and huffed, then gave a small smirk and raised an eyebrow.

"Belle: proper form." She ordered. I shot a glare, then stood up straight and folded my hands behind my back as we continued to head toward the ballroom. "I must remind you that you are still under strict orders to protect and obey me, old friend."

"Hmph. Very well, _Miss Schnee_."

"Belle, I'm just kidding with you." Weiss rolled her eyes. "At ease." I dropped my arms and clenched my fists at my sides. "I must say, for such a sarcastic and energetic person, you can be even more uptight than me, at times."

"It's a gift."

 ** _/\_**

Weiss and I changed into our pajamas, she into her white nightgown with her hair down and myself into a pair of loose black pants, a black pajama-shirt with short sleeves and a collar (buttoning up in the front), and black flats. My hair was in its usual ponytail and bow, and I changed in the stall next to Weiss' to be sure that she wouldn't see any sign of my cat-ears.

It was a safety-risk, taking my eyes off of Weiss, but the consequences of her learning the truth about me would be great. We would get into an argument, people would hear, and the next day's tabloids would only have one headline:

 _Schnee Heiress' Bodyguard Revealed to be a Faunus, an Ex-Member of the White Fang._

I shook out of my thoughts as we settled down in the ballroom, Weiss and I side-by side on inflatable mattresses. I stared at the ceiling, my ears twitching slightly under my bow as I listened for any sort of threat. It was dark in the room, most of the students fast asleep. I thought I was the only one awake...

"Belle." I heard a voice whisper. "Are you awake?"

"Yeah." I replied, turning over to look at Weiss as she turned to look at me. "What's wrong?"

"That Jaune boy was NOT my type, but it got me thinking... What do you think of when you think of your ideal life-partner?"

"Huh." I frowned, looking away with my eyes darting around as I searched myself for the answer. "I'm not sure. I've never really thought about it, before."

"Same, until today."

"... What do you think of?"

"Well..." Weiss turned and looked up at the ceiling. "Someone who cares about me for me, I suppose. Someone who's first words to me is asking for my name. Someone who doesn't care about _Schnee_ or _heiress_. Just  Weiss." Weiss shifted slightly, giving a devious smile. "I wouldn't mind them being moderately flirty or charming, and I suppose if they were attractive, it would help..." Weiss calmed herself down. "But I want someone who makes me laugh and smile, who I can make laugh and smile. Someone who lets me forget the past and just be me."

"Forget the past and just be you, huh?" I asked quietly. "I could agree to that." Weiss looked over at me, again.

"... Do you still think about him?" She asked. "That boy, from the White Fang?" I sighed, closing my eyes.

"He was my friend, like my older brother. Never a target of those sort of feelings." I always thought he had a thing for Blake, and I shipped it like _Dust-Ex_. Blake...

Blake. It was often when I thought about my older twin sister. What became of her. Was she alive? Was she alright? Was she still the same Blake who I knew and loved? My Blake?

"Belle?" Weiss shook me from those thoughts. I took a deep breath.

"Yes, sometimes I do miss him and think about him." I admitted. "I wonder if he's alright, if he's still the same, if he misses me or thinks about me... But those days are over. If we ever meet again, it will likely be in a fight." I looked over at Weiss, giving a small smile. "And I have a duty to you, Miss Schnee."

"Belle... You never said his name."

"... Adam." I replied softly, closing my eyes again. "His name was Adam."

"Belle?"

"Yes?"

"... I know my feelings toward the Faunus have changed somewhat in recent years." Weiss announced. "That what they've done to my family, friends, and company has made me critical, resentful even. I do hate the White Fang, Belle, so very much." I clenched my fists. "But... Do you blame me?" I sighed, shaking my head.

"No." I lied. "But not everyone in the White Fang is pure evil, Weiss."

The White Fang may have lost its way, but I still considered its members my brothers and sisters. They were like misguided little children who could change the world if given a push in the right direction, away from its current, violent path. A push that could come from the _Schnee Dust Company_ being taken over by a tolerant heiress, which I had tried to gently push Weiss into becoming over the years.

But recent attacks had jeopardized this. The disappearance of family friends, execution of board members, theft of Dust, and the reoccurring rage of her father had swayed Weiss' once-tolerant attitude to one of disgust and hate.

I had my work cut out for me.

"Hmph." Weiss let out a slight scoff that made me cringe. "That's where we disagree."

I didn't speak again, that night.

 ** _/\/\/\/\_**

When Weiss and I woke up in the morning, we changed into our combat-outfits and headed down to the locker-rooms. As we went...

"You know, I don't think that I've ever seen you without that bow in your hair." Weiss commented. I tensed slightly, then put up a smirk.

"And I don't think that I've ever seen you with a perfectly-symmetrical ponytail. You do realize you're an OCD person's worst nightmare, don't you?"

"Hey!"

"You know I'm right... Anyway, I know that you have noticed that Pyrrha Nikos is here. But please, try not to be overbearing and creepy. You can be a bit socially-awkward at times."

"I'll be fine!"

"Uh-huh... Permission to speak with Ruby or Jaune while you crash and burn spectacularly, ma'am?"

"Permission: denied."

"... You really suck sometimes, Miss Schnee."

"It's a gift."

 ** _/\_**

After Weiss spoke with Pyrrha, and I was beaten at my own game by the Mistral Champion when she saved Weiss from Jaune's flirts (if they could even be called that), we headed to the cliffs by the Emerald Forest and stood on launch-pads.

"Be sure to find me before someone else does." Weiss ordered. I nodded in agreement, clenching my fists and looking forward as I got ready to be launched, determined. "Oh, and..." I looked over as Weiss gave a small smile. "Be careful, okay?"

"... You, too." I nodded, smiling. Then, I was launched into the open air. I drew my crossbow and loaded a grappler-bolt, shooting a tree and swinging on the bolt like a vine. I landed on a branch and pulled my bolt down, looking around and frowning as I saw other people landing around the forest.

I noticed Pyrrha saving Jaune with her spear, I saw that Lie Ren boy spin down a tree, and I noticed Weiss and Ruby landing fairly close to each other.

Oh no.

I started leaping through the trees toward Weiss, muttering curses under my breath as I saw a flash of bright-red and black dart underneath me. I wasn't fast enough! This would be bad...

"Hey, where are you going?!" A voice asked. Ruby. "We're supposed to be teammates." I paused, seeing Ruby looking down as Weiss stormed off, and I cringed.

"Shit."

 ** _/\_**

I leapt from branch to branch, darting through the trees, my eyes narrowed as I searched for a partner. Weiss was taken, so now I had to focus on simply finding a partner so I wouldn't lose my spot at Beacon. Landing on a branch, I raised an eyebrow as I saw a girl facing off with two Ursai.

It was a teenage girl with long, wild blonde hair and lilac eyes. She wore a tan vest with gold piping over a yellow low-cut crop shirt with a black crest that resembled a burning fist (or maybe a heart?). The vest had puffy sleeves with black cuffs. On the sides of the cuffs, there were two golden buttons. The girl wore a brown belt with a buckle, a pouch, and a small banner-like object with same burning-fist crest, golden in color. She wore black shorts under her belt, which resembled a pleated skirt in the back. Over the short-shorts but under the belt was a white asymmetrical back skirt. An orange infinity-scarf hung around her neck. She wore brown knee-high platform boots made of brown leather with orange socks of different lengths. Her left leg also had a gray bandanna-like accessory wrapped around the top of her boot. Then, she wore black fingerless-gloves underneath two large, golden bracelets.

"You wouldn't have happened to see a little girl in a red hood, now would ya?" The girl asked, giving a light smirk. The two Grimm roared and charged. "You could have just said _no_." The girl leapt into action, the bracelets on her wrists expanding into shotgun-gauntlets as she started attacking. An Ursa swiped its paw, and she dodged. "Wow! You two couldn't hit the broadside of a-!" A golden hair fell to the forest floor, the girl's eyes widening in dismay. "You..." The girl clenched her fists and closed her eyes, trying to calm herself. It didn't work. Her hair caught fire and a pair of blazing red eyes snapped open. "YOU MONSTERS!"

"What?" I stared, my eyes wide. The girl let out a cry of rage and attacked the first Ursa, sending the burning Grimm flying into a tree. The second beast roared.

"WHAT?! YOU WANT SOME, TOO?!" Making my choice, I leapt down between the girl and the Ursa, and I whipped out my crossbow, glaring as I launched a bolt into the thing's forehead. The beast dropped dead, and I heard... "I could have taken 'em." I rolled my eyes.

"Decision time." I put my weapon on my back and crossed my arms. "I came across the ' _little girl in a red hood_ '. She's partnered with Weiss."

"My sister got partnered with that girl in white you were with?"

"Yes. So, since you want to be near your sister and it's my job to protect Weiss, our best option is probably-"

"Partners."

"Yes. So, do I turn around?"

"Eh, sure. Why not?"

"This could be the most important choice of our Huntress career."

"And you're trusting me with it. That's good enough for me. Turn around." The blonde was grinning and back to normal when I turned around, and she deactivated her gauntlets and extended a hand, lilac eyes glinting. "Yang."

"Belle." I shook her hand, smiling. "Now, let's get to that temple. I have a feeling that your sister and Weiss'll need us to keep them from killing each other." Yang nodded in agreement, and I started walking through the forest.

"So..." Yang walked up and fell into step next to me, her hands folded behind her back as she raised an eyebrow. "It's Weiss _Schnee_ , right? You're her bodyguard?"

"Yes." I nodded stiffly, briefly averting my eyes from the path ahead to look at my partner. "I have been serving the Schnee Family for seven years." Yang's eyes widened.

"Seven years?!"

"Indeed. Most of it was training, but I did see action a few times. Being the heiress to a multi-billion lien corporation is not as grand as it appears."

"Um... Why are you talking like that?"

"I have been instructed to speak with formality and eloquence in conversations regarding my position. If you would like me to stop conversing in this manner, **_change the subject_**."

"You got it, _Belle-y_... That doesn't sound right."

"No, it doesn't." I gave a small smirk, raising an eyebrow and Yang seemed to try and think of a clever nickname. "Would knowing my full name help?"

"Yeah, maybe!"

"Belle Belladonna."

"... THAT DOESN'T HELP!"

"I know. Just wanted to get your hopes up." I noticed her eyes tinting red. "What, now? Are you getting... _Yang-ry_?" Yang's eyes widened, fading back to purple, and she laughed and crushed me in a hug, probably fracturing a few of my ribs in the process.

"BEST PARTNER EVER!"

"Okay..?"

 ** _/\_**

Yang and I wandered through the forest, finally coming across the temple. Yang looked over at me, grinning.

"Wow, you really are a good navigator!" My partner commented. I gave a small smile and a nod of thanks, then we walked over to the temple.

"Chess pieces?" I asked, looking around at all of the relics. Yang raised an eyebrow, just as confused.

"Guess we should pick one, huh?"

"I guess." I shrugged. "It looks like we weren't the first ones, here... There are two of each. That must mean that pairs who bring back the same relic become a team of four."

"Well then, let's pick one that there's still two of." Yang suggested, then held up a chess piece. "How about the cute little pony?!"

"Sure." I smiled. Little kids liked ponies, right? Ruby would go after that one... Right? Yang walked over to me.

"That was easy."

"This place wasn't too difficult to find." I agreed. "Now, I guess that we should head toward the cliffs." Suddenly, we heard an ear-piercing scream. Yang turned around, eyes wide.

"Some girl's in trouble!"

"Um..." I raised an eyebrow. That scream could have belonged to a girl, but it also could have belonged to a certain blonde knight I knew...

"Belle, did you hear that?!" Yang asked, snapping me out of my thoughts. I felt something off, my ears twitching, and I looked up. My eyes widened as I saw a tiny speck of red and black slowly growing larger as it plummeted toward us. "What do we do?!"

"Yang, I-"

"HEADS UP!"

 ** _Well... We finally see a small argument between Belle and Weiss, and the beginning of their initiation into Beacon. Are the changes popping out, yet? What do you think of Belle's various thoughts and views on Weiss, Blake, Adam, and the White Fang?_**

 ** _Belle's dialogue (for the most part) was SO fun to write! Belle is such a little punk sometimes, and I love it! The whole killing-machine/eloquent-speech quirk mixed with her sarcasm gives me so much material!_**

 ** _I only own my OC! Please read, review, check out my other stories, etc. Thanks!_**


	6. The First Battle (Yang)

I looked up just in time to see Jaune and Ruby collide in mid-air, getting sent flying into a tree.

"Um... Did your sister just fall out of the sky?" Belle asked, then her eyes widened in fear. "Where's Weiss?!"

"I-" Before I could reply, an Ursa burst out of the forest with a girl in pink and white riding it. An explosion went off, and the girl rolled off of its back and onto the ground, standing up.

"Aw! It's broken!" The girl complained. A boy in green appeared behind the Ursa, looking exhausted from chasing the beast through the woods.

"Nora, please! ... Don't ever do that, again." The boy looked up as the girl vanished, his eyes wide as he looked around for her. The girl, Nora, appeared in the temple, picking up a relic and dancing around.

"I'm queen of the castle! I'm queen of the castle!" The girl sang. The boy threw his hands down at his sides, finally fed-up with the insanity.

"NORA!"

"Coming, Ren~!"

"... Did that girl ride in on an Ursa?" Belle asked. "It's official, Yang. We're all going to die." I nodded, starting to agree with my partner. That's when I noticed a small figure in red and black running over.

"Ruby!"

"Yang!" Ruby smiled as we moved in for a hug. That's when Nora popped up between us, laughing.

"NORA!"

"... Belle?" Belle shrugged, not sure of what to do as the peppy Huntress in pink did a little dance, Ren running over. That's when someone in red and bronze ran out of the woods with a giant, Elder Death-Stalker after them. Belle raised an eyebrow, frowning.

"Is that Pyrrha Nikos, with a Death-Stalker?" My partner asked. I finally had enough, and I threw my hands down as my hair ignited, my eyes glowing red with my anger.

"I CAN'T TAKE ANYMORE!" I snapped, looking around at the others. "CAN EVERYONE CHILL OUT FOR TWO SECONDS BEFORE SOMETHING CRAZY HAPPENS, AGAIN?!" Belle looked at me, blinking a few times in surprised, and everyone was silent for exactly two seconds. Then, Ruby pointed up, and I sighed in defeat before looking up at the sky with the others.

"How could you leave me?!" Weiss cried, hanging from the claw of a Giang Nevermore. Belle's jaw dropped, and she shook her head.

"Okay, I'm good at my job, but I'm not that good." Belle clenched her fists, her expression growing worried. "She's going to fall." Ruby waved it off.

"She'll be fine."

"She's falling." Ren deadpanned. Belle shook out of it and ran over to a tree, pulling Jaune out of it and gesturing to Weiss.

"I need to get up there!" Belle demanded, glaring. "Shield up!" Jaune obeyed, obviously scared of my partner, and Belle leapt up onto his shield, aiming her crossbow down at the platform. "Launch me as high as you can!"

Jaune nodded and leapt up, launching the girl. At the same time, Belle fired a Wind-Dust-round, and the girl flew up into the sky. Belle arrived at Weiss and caught her bridal-style, the two falling back to the ground. Belle landed on her feet, creating a crater in the ground, then she set the stunned heiress down on her feet and brushed herself off.

"Belle?!" Weiss asked, shocked. "How did you-?!" Belle looked up, giving a small smirk as she stood up with perfect posture, folding her left arm behind her back and slamming her right fist over her heart, and she gave a small bow with closed eyes.

"Well, in a common man's terms, Miss Schnee..." Belle looked up, her cat-like eyes glinting mischievously. "I am simply one Hell of a bodyguard."

"Language!"

"Seriously?"

The two laughed (yes, Weiss and Belle actually laughed), then they and Jaune ran over to join us. Pyrrha was knocked over to us, and I sighed.

"Great. The gang's all here. Now, we can all die together!"

"Not if I can help it." Ruby turned and glared at the Death-Stalker, then whipped out her scythe, yelled, and charged. I reached out, eyes wide.

"Ruby, wait!"

Ruby, still screaming, fired Crescent Rose and charged at the oncoming Death-Stalker. When the two met, the Grimm batted Ruby aside like she was nothing but a pest, and Ruby got up slowly, recovering from the hit.

"D-Do-Don't worry! Totally fine!" Ruby turned back to the monster and shot at it before turning and running away from it, sheathing her scythe as the Death Stalker went after her. I ran forward, my eyes widening.

"Ruby!" I cried. Ruby rushed toward me, but the Nevermore screeched them, flapping its wings and releasing lines of sharpened feathers. One caught Ruby's cape, the others creating a barrier that kept me from reaching her. "Ruby, get out of there!"

"I'm trying!" Ruby shouted, struggling with her cloak. She would never abandon the reminder of Summer... The Death-Stalker approached, raising its golden stinger above Ruby. I reached out, feeling helpless as my sister looked up in fear.

"Ruby!"

"Don't worry." Belle appeared by my side, helping me up. A white blur raced past, my eyes widening further as the blur got between Ruby and the Death-Stalker, a huge barrier of ice forming and catching the stinger.

"You are so childish!"

"Weiss?" I asked, stunned. Belle nodded, giving a small smile as she turned and looked at me.

"You're not the only one with protective older-sibling instincts." She announced, looking proud of the heiress. "All older siblings share that inclination to protect those who are younger than them. And all younger siblings tend to be real trouble-makers."

I felt like I should ask how she knew that and if Weiss actually had a younger sibling, but as Weiss stopped scolding Ruby, I had other priorities. I ran up to Ruby and gave her a hug, Ruby grunting at the strength. I pulled away, beaming at my sister.

"So happy you're okay!"

 ** _/\_**

Back with the others, we looked up as the Nevermore flew over at the Death-Stalker struggled, growing more and more on-edge.

"Guys?" Jaune asked. ""That thing's circling back! What are we gonna do?" He sounded WAY too scared. Sure, we were pretty screwed, but it's not like he'd never fought Grimm before.

"Look." Weiss began. "There's no sense in dilly-dallying. Our objective is right in front of us." Weiss gestured to the relics, and Ruby nodded.

"She's right. Our mission is to grab a relic and return to the cliffs." Ruby stated, taking charge. "There's no point in fighting these things." Jayne nodded in approval, smiling.

"Run and live? That's an idea I can get behind!"

"I also vote for living." Belle raised her hand, eyebrow raised as she looked over at Weiss as the heiress frowned. "Unless you have a better strategy for us, Miss Schnee?"

"Don't be a smart-ass, Belle."

"Language, Miss Schnee."

"You're one to talk!"

 ** _/\_**

Ruby and Jaune grabbed their relics, and when the Death-Stalker started to break free, we ran for it. We arrived at more ruins, including some crazy temple suspended over a misty void... What kind of ancient civilization thought that THAT was a good idea?

Nora distracted the Nevermore and got it off the temple so we could continue running, and Belle and Ren saved her from the Death-Stalker. We ran across the bridge leading to the temple, only for the Nevermore to ram it.

Ruby, Weiss, Jaune, Nora and I ended up on one side. Belle, Ren, and Pyrrha ended up on the other, facing the Death-Stalker alone.

I didn't know what to do for Belle, so I ran over with Weiss and Ruby to try and help them take down the Nevermore. The others would be better off if we took it out...

 ** _/\_**

 _Belle yelped in surprise as Nora knocked into her and sent her tumbling off the bridge and down into the misty void below the ruins. Belle looked up with wide eyes to see the Nevermore flying overhead, then she drew her crossbow and loaded her grappling-bolt, firing and piercing the Nevermore's right wing._

 _Activating a mechanism in her bow, Belle was sent flying up into the air as the wire was retracted, ascending up and ripping her bolt from the Grimm's wing, landing on its back. Belle split her crossbow into katanas and ran down the bird's back, slashing at its spine with her blades before leaping off..._

 ** _/\_**

Belle landed on the temple on a pillar above Ruby, Weiss, and I's, looking down at us with narrowed eyes before combining her katanas back into her crossbow.

"Its feathers are like armor!" She shouted in warning, pointing as the bird turned and flew at us again. "It'll take a lot to pierce them!" I nodded, readying Ember Celica and glaring.

"Then, let's hit it with everything we got!" I shouted. The Nevermore approached as we started firing our weapons' strongest ammo-attacks at it, but the bird either dodged or was unaffected. Great, just great...

That's when Belle managed to land one of her Dust-bolts in the Nevermore's left eye.

"I got it!" Belle grinned, briefly looking up. I looked over at her, raising an eyebrow just before the Dust took affect.

"What kind of Dust was-?"

The Nevermore screeched in agony as ice covered the left side of its face, the bird flying right at us as it lost control of its flight. I saw my partner's grin fall into a deadpan.

"Oh, sh-"

The Nevermore crashed through the temple to shatter the ice on its face, and we leapt across the falling debris to land on the remaining portion of the bridge. I climbed up onto a pillar and started firing at the Nevermore, buying the others time to come up with something to take the sucker out.

Eventually, the bird flew right at me, and what did I do? Did I leap out of the way, or duck? Did I close my eyes and accept an untimely death? NAH!

I leapt into the air and landed in the Grimm's mouth, holding the Nevermore's beak open with one hand and my legs as I used my other had to fire Dust-rounds down its throat.

"I! HOPE! YOU'RE! HUN-! GRY!" I yelled, firing a Dust-round down its throat with every syllable. I jumped from the mouth as it crashed into the cliffs, landing on the bridge and looking up with a smirk as Weiss rushed forward to freeze its tail to the cliff, Belle and Ruby standing on some broken columns.

I helped Belle attach the wire from her grappling bolt to the two columns, and Weiss returned to cast a glyph as we prepared to slingshot Ruby at the Nevermore. I wasn't so sure about this, but I wasn't going to doubt my little sister's plan.

"Of course you would come up with this idea." Weiss deadpanned. Ruby gave a small smirk and nodded.

"Think you can make the shot?"

"Hmm! Can I!"

"... Can you?"

"Of course I can!"

Ruby looked forward and pumped Crescent Rose as Weiss turned the glyph from black to red and released Ruby at such a speed that the ground behind her launch cracked, rose petals flying from her ascent. With each new shot, Ruby got closer and closer to the trapped Grimm until her scythe caught the Nevermore's neck in its blade and caused them both to fall to the cliff wall. Weiss raised her rapier and created a series of white glyphs up the wall, which Ruby dashed through by firing the entire way up.

We watched her climb up with the bird in her grasp until, both warrior and monster crying out, Ruby reaches the top of the cliff, fired one last shot, and decapitated the Nevermore in a shower of red rose-petals. Ruby landed beside the severed head as the body of the Giant Nevermore fell into the void, her cape and petals flowing with the wind, looks down to us as we looked up at her.

"Well..." I grinned at the other two. "That was a thing!" Belle slowly looked over at me, her eyes wide.

"A thing? A _thing_?! A **_THING_**?! That was _insanity_! Your sister just decapitated a Giant Nevermore! How are you this desensitized?!"

"Well-"

"Don't..." Belle held a hand up, rubbing the side of her temple with the other hand as she sighed and shook her head in solemn defeat. "Don't answer that."

 ** _/\_**

That night...

"Russel Thrush, Cardin Winchester, Dove Bronzewing, Sky Lark." Ozpin called up a group of boys. "The four of you retrieved the Black Bishop pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as Team CRDL, led by... Cardin Winchester!" The audience applauded, and Belle leaned over to me.

"Twenty lien says that those guys will be the asshole team."

"Them?" I asked, eyebrow raised as I examined the boys. "They don't look so bad... You're on." We looked up as Ozpin continued to call new teams onto the stage.

"Jaune Arc, Lie Ren, Pyrrha Nikos, Nora Valkyrie." Ozpin called them up, frowning as always. "The four of you retrieved the White Rook pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as Team JNPR." We clapped for our friends. "Led by... Jaune Arc!"

"Huh?" Jaune asked, his blue eyes in surprise widening as he realized what Ozpin had said. "L-Led by...?" Ozpin gave a small smirk.

"Congratulations, young man." He nodded in approval. Pyrrha tried to do a friendly shoulder-bump, but she accidentally knocked Jaune over.

"Thirty lien says that they'll be a comedy-relief team." Belle whispered, giving a long smirk. "Except for when detailed backstory is revealed and shit goes down, revealing a hardcore-badass side that scares the living bejeezus out of everyone who's there to witness it."

"With a goofball for a leader, a famous athlete, a sociopathic pancake-lover, and that serious guy?" I asked. "Do I look stupid? I'm not taking that bet." Belle just shrugged.

"And finally: Belle Belladonna, Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, and Yang Xiao Long." As Ozpin spoke, we went on stage. "The four of you retrieved the White Knight pieces." I saw Belle smile deviously as her eyes flitted to Ruby and she mouthed _knew it_ for some reason. "From this day forward, you will work together as Team RWBY. Led by... Ruby Rose!" I immediately hugged my baby sister as the people in the auditorium cheered.

"I'm so proud of you!"

"It looks like things are shaping up to be quite an..." Ozpin murmured. "Interesting year."

 ** _/\_**

Later that night, in the dorm, we all changed into our pajamas and settled down in our beds. We'd decorate in the morning, probably...

"So!" I grinned. "Teammates!" Belle, sitting on her bed near the wall, looked over and nodded curtly, in bodyguard-mode now that Weiss was present.

"Yes. I suppose that we do work well together, if today's battle had anything to say for it."

"I saw you get knocked off the bridge and fly up to the Nevermore." I smiled deviously, winking. "You certainly are _one Hell of a bodyguard_." Weiss scoffed, crossing her arms.

"It was reckless! You should know better than to put yourself in danger like that, Belle!"

"We were all in danger, Miss Schnee." Belle put up a small argument. "I thought it best to do some damage before it got to you three."

"Hmph."

"Hey!" I glared. "Stop that! She was saving herself and trying to help us! Aren't you two supposed to be friends?!" Bell cringed and looked down, Weiss frowning and sighing.

"Let's all just get some sleep. We'll need our rest for classes, tomorrow." She insisted. We laid down and tried to get some sleep, Belle shifting to turn her back on everyone and face the wall.

Something didn't feel right about Belle and Weiss.

I'd have to keep an eye out.

 ** _/\/\/\/\_**

 _Several miles away, deep in the Forest of Forever Fall..._

 _"WHAT?!" A voice snapped, two fists slamming down onto a table, a pair of eyes behind a Grimm-mask glaring at a holographic projection of a woman in red. "Fall, you are out of line! I am not about to hand over complete control of my forces in Vale to that racist, arrogant, little bastard!"_

 _ **:Yes, you will. Or would you like me to bring this up to you superiors?:** The woman asked. **:Sienna Khan would not be happy to hear of you refusing to cooperate. It's rebellious. Treacherous, even.:** The figure at the table went silent, but their anger turned the room cold. **:You will not only hand over complete control of your men in Vale to Roman Torchwick, but you will organize more**_ _ **rallies to recruit him more men.:**_

 _"Grr..." The figure paced a few times, then sighed and shook their head. "Very well. But if any harm comes to those men, physical or mental, because of Torchwick and the missions he assigns them to, I will not be responsible for what happens to your..." The figure raised a katana, making sure to catch its gleaming blade in the light so the holographic woman could see it and understand the message. "Associate."_

 _ **:Understood... Until next time.:**_

 _The call ended, and the figure at the table sheathed their katana and removed their mask, hunching over the table and taking some deep breaths. A hand was placed on their shoulder._

 _"You're stressing yourself out too much." Someone warned. "You need to calm down, before you end up hurting yourself. I'm already starting to see your hair turning grey."_

 _"Thanks, Adam." The figure muttered. "That's exactly what every seventeen year-old girl wants to hear."_

 _"Sorry."_

 _"No, you're right. It's just..."_

 _"What?"_

 _"... I want things to be better for our kind. For the Faunus."_

 _"You're trying your best. You're leading the largest, most-successful branch of the White Fang on Remnant. You're at Sienna Khan's right-hand. You're changing the world for Faunus like us. We're being treated like equals."_

 _"But not out of respect." A pair of eyes closed. "Out of fear... Belle would be ashamed of what we've allowed to happen to the White Fang." The eyes opened, the pupils dilating. "But she'd eventually realize that it was for the greater good. If humanity wouldn't respect or welcome us, they'd fear us. We are going to light the fires of revolution for our kind."_

 _"... But shouldn't we be doing this some other way? Fall's plan is **extreme** , and people will get hurt. Human and Faunus."_

 _"For the greater good... Sacrifices must be made." A hand raised a photo to the candlelight. "Humanity has taken everything from me. They'll pay."_

 _"Blake-"_

 _A pair of golden eyes glinted._

 _"They'll all pay."_

 ** _As you can see, Belle and Weiss don't always see eye-to-eye. Not only do they disagree on the White Fang, but they also disagree on other things. And to outside observers, it doesn't look good. Weiss may be looking out for Belle's safety like Belle looks out for hers, but while Belle may see that, others may see the way Weiss expresses it as.. Not good._**

 ** _And BLAKE! I tried my best to keep Blake relatively the same while also giving her that drive for revenge. She thinks that she has to do everything herself to the point of exhausting/stressing herself out, she cares about what happens to other people, and she's aware that the respect humans have for the White Fang only comes from fear. This is where even more AU starts to take over, seeing as how Blake is leading the White Fang._**

 ** _What happens when Belle and Blake learn of each other? Will they reconcile and try to fix things, or have they both gone so far up their separated paths that there's no hope of these twins ever regaining that same, strong relationship they had as children? And what impact will a concerned, less-crazy Adam have on all of this?_**

 _ **... Also, yes, I admit to throwing a** Black Butler **reference in there. Sue me, it was a good line.**_

 ** _I'm sorry about the lack of updates, across all of my stories. I barely have any free-time anymore due to homework. If you have a problem, please direct all hatred to my Chemistry and Geometry teachers. They hate their kids, and they hit us with a truck-load of homework every day. _**

**_I want to write and post, I want to! They just won't let me! WHY?!_**

 ** _Ahem... I only own my OC. Please read, review, check out my other stories, etc. Thanks!_**

 ** _Also, if you want me to start writing replies to comments on a chapter in the author's notes following the next chapter, let me know. I'd love to get some more communication and feedback from you guys, and to be able to respond to you questions in a more streamlined way._**


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